Cambre’s #TechAways – Issue #25

Zachery here – I am taking the reins this week because we have big news and no one likes to brag about themselves.

We’re excited to announce that Cambre’s own Victoria Main is one of the tech titans tied for the #1 spot on POLITICO Europe’s Women Who Shape Brussels list. Congrats to such a great professional and even better colleague!

Tech Team

Also please don’t forget some other standout women shaping Brussels are the top tech journalists joining us for the next #BrusselsCalling on 21 November. Many of you have signed up – but for those who haven’t, we are saving a few last spots for our loyal #TechAways readers! Register as soon as possible.

Finally (it’s been a busy news week!), our tech team is excited to announce that we’re a knowledge partner of the Think Digital Summit on 28 November! Check out the confirmed speakers and full programme for more and email their team if you’d like to participate.

The moment is finally here. Waymo’s autonomous minivans are driving around Phoenix – on their own. Until now, tests and demos of their autonomous vehicles have always had a human “backup” on board. That’s changed and now in a matter of months months Waymo will be inviting passengers to jump aboard the world’s first driverless ride-hailing service. The testing phase is happening in a city where no permit was needed for testing and no regulatory oversight exists on driverless cars. In Europe, Waymo can expect a different reception. But hopefully the laissez-faire approach of Arizona gives the platform ample room for testing and refining before it faces Europe’s regulatory ‘welcome’.

Some industries are particularly bad at making the most of new technology, and healthcare can be one of them. While healthcare is dependent on the accuracy of data, cost efficiency and the avoidance of human error, it is surprising to see that this sector, known for large IT investments, has so little to show for it. Smaller projects focusing on care-quality improvements or implementation of electronic health record system show great results, but the overall adoption of technology to improve quality and cut costs falls short. While, rigid healthcare technology is surely one of the obstacles, the will and support of an organisation’s leaders and clinicians to embrace change is definitely just as important.

While many discussions on blockchain are associated with bitcoin, businesses (and governments) are quickly waking up to the possibility of using blockchain in a number of other ways. By removing the need for trusted third parties, blockchain has the potential to make interaction within massive networks more efficient, secure and transparent. Some examples? Voting, real estate, shipping, cybersecurity and banking industries – to name a few. The European Commission is clearly on board and has just opened a call for a tender on a study about the opportunities and feasibility of EU blockchain infrastructure – technophiles must apply!

Endless commentary and news articles have been examining how big tech companies have changed the course of history – for better or for worse. But are these companies just a few successful corporations with some – still to be defined – power? Stop thinking only of city-states, nation-states, or non-states and add a new player in the global landscape: Net states. Net-states are digital non-state actors ranging from global superpowers like Google and Facebook to prankster groups like Lulzsec. Regardless of their differences in size and raison d’etre, net-states of all stripes share three key qualities: they exist largely online, enjoy international devotees, and advance belief-driven agendas. It’s a lot to think about…